As I write this, it's the day after Thanksgiving. I think the greatest of North American traditions is taking a break from whatever you are doing, sitting down to a meal with friends and family, and remembering what we are all thankful for. Among the many, many things that I'm thankful for this year is the wonderful extended family that Liz and I have developed through the Vallarta Yacht Club.

Commodore Dan started a saying during his tenure as Vice-Commodore: “It's your club”. Those simple three words say it all about our little club. It seems like every time I visit the clubhouse I'm amazed at the range of activity I see, from people playing cards and dominoes, people enjoying a meal, kids getting ready for sailing classes, people checking email on the computers, or just folks enjoying a beer and a chat with friends. Those little kids running around probably don't even know the significance of the “Cheers” sign above the bar, but us older folks do – it's the place where everybody knows your name. That's our little club, our little piece if paradise.

We have a lot of great events coming up in the next few months, a wide range of activities that reflect the diversity of our club and our membership. Events like Banderas Bay Blast and the Great Chili Cookoff give us an opportunity to give back to the community that has given us so much, while offering a great party at the same time! Our already successful Concert Series has given us a unique opportunity to celebrate some amazingly talented musicians, and our theme dinners show the skills of our second-to-none club staff.

The year has already started out great, and I'm excited about spending the next few months here with my VYC family. I hope you are looking forward to this year, too. After all, it's your club!

Did everyone have a great summer? I know I did – Liz and I had a great trip to Turkey with members Randy and Leslie Hough, and Norm and Margaret Shaw. What a wonderful country. While there, we visited the Marmaris Yacht Club, exchanging burgees and inviting them to visit us here in beautiful Banderas Bay.

Did you know about the extensive list of clubs that we have reciprocal agreements with? It's on the web site here. One of the most important benefits of VYC membership is the opportunity to use our reciprocal agreements in yacht clubs worldwide. All you need is a current VYC membership card and you can use the facilities at over 50 clubs. Will you be traveling and plan to visit a club that is not on our list? Let me know – we'll try to hook you up with a letter of introduction, an invitation for reciprocal privileges, and even a burgee to exchange.

"Wait, you want me to look after the Bar/Restaurant, the clubhouse, our support boats, our staff, our Amigos del Club, AND the membership program? Ummm, does the word RETIRED mean anything to you?"

Okay, so some of us just can't sit still in retirement. I'm happy to be voted your Vice Commodore, and I'm still peeling back the onion layers of the job. Yikes! There's a lot here. To anyone who has been VYC Vice Commodore in the past, I salute you. Not only did you all do a fantastic job, you did an equally fantastic job of keeping the secret that this is a lot of work!

Okay, now that I've vented, let's talk about the 2011/2012 season and what is going on!

I hope you noticed an email that contained a guide to upcomming events at VYC. This is one of the things our members asked for at the town hall meetings last season. Our Webmaster/Commodore Andy Barrow made it happen.

As custodian of the event calendar I'm working to add images to the events. I'd like to ask event hosts to send any image they would like to use in .jpg or .png format. I can resize them to 150x150 for publication.

I'm looking forward to my second year serving as Rear Commodore of our Yacht Club. There are many new and exciting things in store for the coming years!

Our new Commodore Andy Barrow shared his thoughts about the future and the inevitable change it will bring. I'd like to share a story about the common interest we share as members of a Yacht Club:

`Do you know, I`ve never been in a boat before in all my life.'

`What?' cried the Rat, open-mouthed: `Never been in a--you never--well I--what have you been doing, then?'

`Is it so nice as all that?' asked the Mole shyly, though he was quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.

`Nice? It's the ONLY thing,' said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. `Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing--about--in--boats; messing----'

`Look ahead, Rat!' cried the Mole suddenly.

It was too late. The boat struck the bank full tilt. The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom of the boat, his heels in the air.

`--about in boats--or WITH boats,' the Rat went on composedly, picking himself up with a pleasant laugh. `In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not. Look here! If you've really nothing else on hand this morning, supposing we drop down the river together, and have a long day of it?'

The Mole waggled his toes from sheer happiness, spread his chest with a sigh of full contentment, and leaned back blissfully into the soft cushions. `WHAT a day I'm having!' he said. `Let us start at once!'

- Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

I'd like to welcome some of the people that will be having fun creating and planning activities this year. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as our new Ashore Director and Jesse Coburn as our new Junior Program Director.

I would also like to thank outgoing Directors George Krayniack and Ken Gill for their valued service to our club.

Long time Director of Afloat Activities Mike Danielson has left the board to focus on other things. I want to thank Mike for his many years of service to VYC, he will continue to support VYC events and the Pacific Puddle Jump.

The Afloat Director position is open, if you have a passion for all things afloat this is an opportunity to help VYC continue to be the center for nautical activities in Banderas Bay! Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The VYC Calendar of club events is one of the first challenges that falls to the Rear Commodore. The calendar must be completed early and approved by the Board of Directors in June. All suggestions are welcome and hosting or sponsoring an event is fun and easy. If you have an idea that you think would be fun for VYC, please contact Ricki Williams (Ashore Activities), Jesse Coburn (Junior Program) or me (Afloat Activities).

My goal for On The Water is to create events that include more VYC members and include more social activities. The first VYC Club Cruise to Tenacatita was a success, look for more cruising events next year. We will continue to focus on quality events and tailor them to the active VYC fleet. Most VYC on the water events will include our power fleet as well as our sailing fleet. We are working towards a goal of providing opportunity for every VYC member that wants to get out on the water to do so. After all doing things on the water is the common bond that makes VYC a Yacht Club.

Vallarta Yacht Club

Vallarta Yacht Club is and always will be an independent, volunteer-run, non-profit organization of boating enthusiasts. Our mission is:

To provide an attractive, comfortable, and active private social environment for residents of and visitors to Banderas Bay who have interest in yachting, other aquatic activities, sport fishing, sport diving, and related social activities.

To promote, sponsor, manage, and provide facilities for amateur and professional regional, national, and international aquatic events such as yacht regattas and rallies, sport fishing tournaments, sport diving events, and marine training and educational programs and seminars.

To sponsor charitable events and activities which benefit the Banderas Bay region and its residents.Join us